Hair Care News

Free Up the Frizz and Curls in Black Hair

Posted on June 16, 2009 with 2 Comments

Well it’s that time of year again. Sticky, Hot, and Humid weather attacking your curly locs and causing them to swell to epic proportion.  Fear not! I think struck gold with a carefree black hair regimen that will revive those curls and make them pop!

My regimen is pretty simple and works well with my naturally curly summer style.

Step#1

I wash my hair with HHP Emu Oil Shampoo. This product is absolutely amazing and gives my kinky curly locs the most beautiful shine.

Step #2

I condition with HHP Emu Oil Conditioner. I typically leave on for 15 minutes and lightly rinse out. That’s right I said lightly! This product also works well as a leave in and works great with Step#3. For those of you who own a hair steamer, HHP Emu conditioner is a wonderful accompaniment. I promise you your hair will be moisturized soft and shiny.  

Step #3

I towel blot my hair and I apply Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding. My all time favorite curl crème to date! But what’s most impressive is that when used with Step#2 your curls are elongated with less bulk and frizz. Best of all your hair will be moisturized from root to tip. Apply Miss Jessie’s liberally and finger style as every curl falls in place and voila! You are done! Optional Product: IC Sparkle Lights gel is a good alternative to Miss Jessie’s.

Optional Step #4

Apply a small amount of Shesentit Seyani Hair Butter for added moisture for those with courser hair.  It helps soften and refresh curls - making dense locks more manageable and feeling a lot better.

Suzanne P.

Suzanne is a contributing editor for Skin Care News Blog.  She is an expert and featured writer in black hair care and black hair styles - having been a stylist and distributor for years.  Her knowledge of products that work is phenomenal and her sense of style amazing.  Stay tuned for more insight from her.

Shampoo for Dense, Coarse or Thick Hair

Posted on May 26, 2009 with 1 Comment

Two years ago my wife and I were fortunate (blessed) to adopt a 5-year-old boy from Guatemala.  He always has a smile on his face, is inquisitive, humble, smart and has the thickest, densest hair of anyone I’ve ever met.

No kidding - his hair is jet black, stands straight-up and as thick as a carpet.  Whenever he is in the sun, his head absorbs heat like asphalt on an August day and the sweat starts falling, even when the temperature is rather mild.  It is coarse and stiff, and we have experimented with all sorts of shampoos to keep his scalp moisturized and follicles somewhat soft and manageable - what we needed was a shampoo for dense, coarse and thick hair.

Needless to say, we have several hispanic friends - mainly from Central and South America - and many of the “hispanics” we know have similar challenges, whether they’re from Mexico, Guatemala or Venezuela.  And the issue we hear repeatedly is how to maintain and manage hair that is so coarse and thick.

Here is what we have found.  First, maintaining moisture is paramount and the two best products we found for that are those with emu oil or LusterPlex.  LusterPlex, interestingly, was developed by Croda (a personal products research and ingredient company) to increase flexibility, shine and smoothness of coarse or thick hair.  It has become a top active ingredient for use in African American hair products for its’ properties for increasing sheen and reducing breaking.

Shampoos and conditioners with this ingredient work great for hispanic hair (latino, latina) too - I can attest.  Though density hasn’t changed (and I hope it doesn’t for a long time), his hair is much softer and smoother - and doesn’t have that “velcro” feel.  It still gets hot - as a recent trip to the pool proved, but the feel of brittleness is gone and it doesn’t seem to get as dirty as it once did.

The other ingredient I mentioned was emu oil.  Emu oil is great for moisturizing the scalp and works very well in shampoos and conditioners.  It is a very popular ingredient for African American shampoos and for anyone who deals with breakage or coarseness.  It is a great moisturizer - reducing dryness and poor hydration - and works well for those whose locks are thin…it adds body, softness and life.

Using Supplements for Faster Growing Hair?

Posted on May 22, 2009 with No Comments

Interestingly, one the best selling products in the industry is supplements (vitamins) for faster growing hair, healthier hair, et al.

I was pretty sceptical at first until I spoke with several of our customers who essentially “swore” their hair was either thicker, longer, darker - what have you.  When considering ingredients and their effects, I now understand whay so many people are hooked. 

Consider a couple of thoughts:

1. It’s well documented that taking a “daily recommended allowance” of vitamins and minerals helps keep our bodies strong and healthy.  Well a big reason is because we supplement intake with pills.  Ok, got that.  Well, to be more specific, our bodies can produce many nutrients just with our internal engine.  But, there are several that require us to get from diet, foods, and drinks.  If we don’t get enough of these (say Vitamin B-12), we end up with a deficiency that affects something - well, in this case it is follicle growth, strength, and shine.
2. For those of us with pets - especially the most devoted - we look for and search out pet food, treats and vitamins that will help our pet’s coat, reduce flaking or eczema, and give our pet’s more energy (assume we are talking about dogs and cats).  Well, if it works for our pet’s, why shouldn’t it work for us?  Uh..mmm..it does!
3. Follicle pore biology gives us somewhat of a glimpse into other reasons why hair vitamins help.  The follicle pore is found between and in the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layers of the scalp and skin.  Arteries and veins feed the bulb and root, erector muscle and nourish sebaceous glands that produce scalp oil.  Studies have shown that malnourishing that little bit of biology can lead to lot’s of problems - thinning, hair loss, scalp micro-circulation disorder, undernutrition, and an over-abundance of DHT accumulation (I’m discussing DHT next week - pretty interesting topic).  With that said, boosting Biotin, amino acids and trace minerals, Vitamin B-12 and some herbal supplements - saw palmetto, Ginseng, and copper peptides - have all be shown, studied and reviewed to be really good for our hair and follicle development.

I’m going to write about this subject more in the coming weeks.  It’s important.  We think it’s important for our pets - I think it’s safe to say the human versions of hair vitamins are even more effective and narrow in their focus (that’s a good thing!)

Bronner Brothers Hair Show - Baltimore May 17th - 19th

Posted on April 17, 2009 with No Comments

Bronner Brothers has announced several show for the 2009 season. In May, their first show is in Baltimore on May 17th-19th; later in August, they have scheduled their home-base show in Atlanta on August 15th-18th. In October they have planned Seminars by The Sea at the Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bahamas.

A complete Bronner online brochure reviews the schedule, classes and educational programs. They expect to have over 200 hair care products exhibitors, some “celebrity” stylists, and even screening sessions for the movie “Good Hair”!! Time to brush-up on your acting skills!

Atlanta-based Bronner is renowned for their shows, conferences and educational programs.  The Brothers have become a leader in the Black, Ethnic and African American hair market.  It is a showcase for black and African American hair products and styling.  Their shows are always a lot of fun.